All this cold and snow and ice made me think about one of the craziest things that happened while we lived in Blowing Rock, NC.
We rented the bottom floor of a duplex. It was just a few miles from downtown Blowing Rock and right off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The back porch had a wonderful view of Grandfather Mountain. The whole thing probably wasn’t 1000 sq ft but it was perfect for the two of us. It had two bedrooms joined by a kitchen/den/dining area. And a turret. It was heated by a gas fireplace in the living room.
One cold December night, our phone rang about 1:15am. It was our upstairs neighbor, Jason. He said their carbon monoxide detector had gone off and the firemen were there. Could they come in and check our levels? Sure.
The fireman came in and his little machine started beeping like crazy. He starts yelling yelling at all of us to GET OUT now. We ran out of the apartment into the 11 degree weather in our pjs.
Any reading over 50 is dangerous. Our levels were over 100. If J & I had slept all night in levels over 100, we may not have woken up in the morning. We huddled together with our neighbors while the firemen did their thing. We praised God that they had a carbon monoxide detector and that we were spared carbon monoxide poisoning or early death. After the levels were lowered, we bundled up and slept under heavy blankets. And bought a carbon monoxide detector the next day.
Moral of the story: If you have any gas in your house, please please please have a carbon monoxide detector.
See. A turret.
6 comments:
I remember coming to this house for dinner with you guys!
Yes you did! And you were very very very pregnant with Micah! Now our (almost!) 8 kids would make that place burst.
Oh man, that picture brings back memories. Let's go back in time for a few days (without including Happy Valley!)
And, I think this story might ring a bell, but I'm thinking this type of emergency should be a little clearer in my brain.
Definitely remember that night! And I loved your place; the view was awesome. I remember so much about that apartment; the stackable w/d right across from the dining table, listening to Clay Aiken's new cd in the living room, eating chik-fil-a biscuits on your birthday morning... Fun times (except not the carbon monoxide leak; not fun)
KT- one of the things I loved most about that year was you!!! Remember when our power was out because of the hurricane and we came to shower at your house? And you helped me paint that bookshelf black. I don't know where that is now. That year, that place just sparks a special place in my heart.
Your turret is ridiculously awesome. (I have a thing for circle buildings and circle spaces.)
And I am hard core about carbon monoxide freakouts. We have like four detectors in our house I think. Seriously.
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